Apparatus for assorting and counting coins.



No. 634,506. Patented Oct. IO, I899.

F. S. D. SCOTT. APPARATUS FOR ASSORTING AND COUNTING COINS.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1897.)

{No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet. l.

[NVENTOR 1H: mums pz-rsas co. wow-1.1mm, WASHlNGTON. 0 PV No. 634,506. Patented on. 10, I899.

' r. s..u. SCOTT.

APPARATUS FOR ASSORTING AND COUNTING COINS.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Shady-Sheet 2.

WITNESS 58.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SEPTIMUS DEVONTEAUX SCOTT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR ASSORTING AND COUNTlNG COINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 634,506, dated October 10, 1899.

Application filed December 6, 1897. Serial No. 660,998, (No modeLl To all whom, it may (JO/worm Be it known that I, FRANK SEP'rIMUs DE- VONTEAUX SCOTT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 5 25 Upper Bedford Place, London, England,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Assorting and Calculating Coins, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that is capable of quickly assorting and also calculating the total amount of a quantity of coins placed indiscriminately into it. I

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus with the case in section. Fig. 2 is a crossseetion through a a, Fig. 1., showing also a portion of the calculating mechanism through on. Fig. 3 is a plan, partly in section, of a fragment of the coin-assorting device. Fig. A is a full-size plan of one set of the calculating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side view of same. Figs. 6 and 7 show the arrangement of the striking-arms. Fig. 8 is an alternative detail in connection with the calculating mechanism.

In carrying out the invention I form a suitably-shaped case or frame A, in the top of which is an opening 15, through which the coins are fed into the hopper O. A chute O, forming a part of this hopper, is inclined toward a band-elevator D, mounted upon rollers D and D and having a number of ridges, such as D, a suitable distance apart formed upon its external surface, so that the coins which have been placed into said hopper can be picked up singly on their edge and carried to the assorter or separator E. Said separator consists of one or more inclined rails similar to F and F, fastened to a partition F which is inclined slightly backward and provided with diverting-strips F for causing the coins to be turned off said rail, according to their size and denomination. The portion G of the 5 inclined rail F is reduced in thickness, so that should two coins happen to get on the rail side by side the outside coin will fall oft said rail at the reduced part and drop either onto the rail F, which has a similar reduced part at H, or onto a conveyor I, having ridges on its external surface. lVhen only one rail is used, this conveyer is arranged under said reduced portion to convey the coins which fall oil the rail back into the hopper by depositingtheni in the inclined slot I but should two or more rails be used the conveyer extends from the lowest rail.

A guide-piece J, connected with the bar J, is pressed lightly against the partition F by a suitable spring in order to direct the coins onto the rail F as they fall from the elevator. Another guide-piece K is used to direct the coins which fall oft the upper rail onto the lower one.

A hinged flap L,which has its free end resting on the elevator, may be used to minimize the liability of two coins side by side passing from said elevator onto the rail F.

Receptacles M are arranged beneath the assorter and correspond in number to the coins to be separated, so that each denomination of coin has its particular receptacle. Each of these receptacles is provided with a separate sliding bar N, which communicates with the bottom of the receptacle and is capable of pushing the bottom coin in said receptacle through a slot 0, formed opposite the sliding bar.

A horizontal shaft P is arranged above the sliding bars N and is provided with a suitable number of strikingarms Q, Figs. 0 and 7, which engage said sliding bars in succession and cause them to be moved forward the required distance, after which said bars are drawn back to their original position by springs R or forced back by the arms S, Fig. 8, placed in a suitable position upon a shaft and actuated by toothed or other gearing connected with the shaft I, carrying the striking-arms.

A sliding lever T, Figs. A and 5, is hinged to the arm T of each sliding bar N and has a pin T projected downward from the extension T of said lever capable of engaging the carrier U for the pawl V, which operates in a slot U and aetuates the ratchet-wheel \V. The carriers U slide in suitable slots U of the frame, which vary in length to correspond with the value of the coins, Fig. 6, and springs U are connected to the carriers to retract them when the sliding bars are withdrawn. There are as many of said ratchetwheels and component parts as there are receptacles for the different denominations of coins.

All of these ratchet-wheels \V are armain registering wheel which coinniunicates with other suitable multiplying mechanism, so that any quantity of coins can be calculated.

The sliding levers T before mentioned are capable of being moved laterally by pivoted dogs similar to X, Fig. 4, arranged at one side of theslots O and which are forced back by the coins as they are ejected by the sliding bars N, so that while there are coins in the receptacles M and the sliding bars are operated the said levers are forced outward by the dogs X and the pins T are caused to engage the carriers U for the pawls \',\vhieh actuate the ratchet wheels \V; but should there be no coins in said receptacles and the sliding bars operated the levers T travel parallel with the sliding bars and the pins pass by the carriers U, and therefore do not cause any movement to the ratchet-wheels. llach of said levers is kept in contact with its relative dog X by a suitable spring Y, and is also retained in the proper position bya guide Y, Fig. The stop Y is secured at the side of the slots 0 to prevent the coins as they are ejected from being forced on one side by the device X.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is constructed for assorting and calculating five different denominations of coinsthat is to say, nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollars; but it will be understood that it can be made for any number of coins from the least to the greatest in value.

The manner of registering the different values of the coins is as follows: Suppose there is one coin in each of the receptacles M. Then as the shaft P is rotated the first striking-arm Q causes the bar N for the five-cents receptacle to slide forward and push the coin at the same time the lever T is carried forward, and the coin passing through the slot forces the device X back, and consequently moves the lever T outward, so that the pin T will engage the carrier U and push it a sufficient distance in its slot U for the pawl T to turn the ratchet-whcel one tooth, which indicates livev cents on the registering-wheel. The next striking-arm then comes into operation and pushes the sliding bar forward to eject the ten cents from its receptacle. In this case the said pin T pushes the carrier U for the pawl V forward a sufficient distance to turn the ratchet-wheel two teeth and records a total of fifteen cents, after which the third striking-anti comes into operation, and the ratchet-Wheel for the twenty-five cents is turned five teeth more, for the half dollar it is turned ten teeth, and a dollar twenty teeth, tnus recording altogether a total of one dollar ninety cents. The length of each pawl and the distance it travels are in proportion to the denomination of coin to which it relates. After the coins have been ejected by the sliding bars they fall either into tubes Z, corresponding to their size, arranged in front of the apparatus, or into a tray having divisions for the various coins.

Suitable gearing, operated by a turning handle Z or other device, is arranged at one end of the apparatus to impart movement to the elevator D, conveyor 1, and also the hori zontal shaft P, so that by simply turning this handle or setting the gearing in motion the coins placed in the hopper are assorted and calculated.

Having now described my in vcntion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, a hopper, means forconveying coins therefrom, an assortcr adapted to receive the coins from the conveying means and provided with inclined rails on which the coins roll, said rails having reduced portions permitting but one coin to pass at a time, a guide-piece directing the coins dropped by one rail to the other rail, and a conveyor for returning the disengaged coins to the hopper, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a hopper, an assorter comprising a slanting partition with inclined rails thereon, an elevator for conveying coins from the hopper to the assorter, guide-pieces located above the rails to direct the coins thereto, and means for returning the disengaged coins to the hopper, substantially as described.

In a device of the character described, a hopper, an assorter comprising a slanting partition with a pair of inclined rails thereon, one located above the other,an elevator adapted to convey coins from the hopper to the assorter, guide-pieces over the rails to direct the coins thereto, each of said rails being provided with a reduced portion permitting but one coin to pass at a time, the reduced portion of the upper rail being out of vertical alin'emeut with that of the lower rail to drop its surplus coins on the wide portion of the lower rail where they then pass onto the reduced portion thereof, and a conveyer to return the coins not engaged by either rail to an inclined slot leading to the hopper, substantially as described.

In a device of the character described, a receptacle for disks having a slot in. its lower end, a sliding bar adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacle through the slot, a dog located in the path of the disks so as to be moved thereby when being ejected, a lever carried by the sliding bar and operated. by the dog, a registering moans located in the path of the lever to be engaged thereby when operated by the dog, but being so spaced from the lever as to be pa sod thereby without cn gagement when no disk is being ejected, sub stantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, a receptacle for disks having a slot in its lower end, a sliding bar adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacle through the slot,

a pivoted dog located in the path of the disks so as to be swung thereby when being ejected, a spring-pressed lever pivoted to the sliding bar and bearing on the dog, an indicating means, and a pin projecting from the lever adapted to engage the indicating means when the lever is swung by the dog but to pass clear thereof when no disk is being ejected, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a frame, receptacles for coins secured thereon and provided with slots in their lower ends, sliding bars adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacles through said slots, pivoted dogs located in the paths of the coins so as to be swung thereby when being ejected, springpressed levers pivoted to the sliding bars and bearing on the dogs, pins depending from the levers, carriers slidable in slots of the frame and so located as to be engaged by the pins only when their levers are swung by the dogs, pawls pivoted to the carriers, ratchet-wheels engaged byihe pawls, and means for operating the sliding bars successively, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, a series of receptacles for coins of different values, sliding bars adapted to discharge the contents of the receptacles through suitable slots in the lower ends thereof, dogs located in the paths of the coins to be moved thereby when being ejected, levers pivoted to the sliding bars and operated by the dogs, carriers so located as to be engaged by the levers only when operated by the dogs, said carriers being slidable for distances varying from each other corresponding to the relative value of the coins they represent, and indicating means Operated by the carriers, as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK SEP'IIMCS llllVON'lIlAUX SCOTT.

Witnesses:

W. D. RowLINosoN, J. WYETH. 

